Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurates Mobile Veterinary Units  to provide veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep
“In order to increase accessibility of veterinary services at farmer’s doorsteps, funds for MVUs will be provided to the States/UTs under this scheme @ 1 MVU for every one lakh livestock population”, says Shri Rupala
Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962 to be used by farmers and dairy owners to utilize 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles for all veterinary services
Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurated Mobile Veterinary Units  in Karnataka to provide veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep based on the phone calls received at the Call Centre from the farmers. Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Chief Minister and Shri Prabhu B Chavan, Karnataka Minister for Animal Husbandry also graced the inauguration event.
The overall aim of the ‘Livestock Health & Disease Control programme’ of Government of India is to improve the animal health by way of implementation of prophylactic vaccination programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building, disease surveillance and strengthening of veterinary infrastructure.
Shri Rupala during the inauguration event yesterday announced that in order to increase accessibility of veterinary services at farmer’s doorsteps, funds for Mobile Veterinary Units  will be provided to the States/UTs under this scheme @ 1 MVU for every one lakh livestock population. These MVUs will be customized fabricated vehicles for veterinary healthcare with equipment for diagnosis, treatment & minor surgery, audio visual aids and other basic requirements for treatment of animals.
The Minister said that this is the best programme to assist farmers and dairy owners to take care of the health of their dairy animals at the right time and to double the farmers income thereby uplifting their economic status by utilizing these Mobile Veterinary Vehicles in the right manner.
The Minister urged the farmer’s community and dairy owners and each and every one who involved in dairy activities to utilize the 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles for all the veterinary services by calling Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962.
The Call Centre would function as the pivot whilst rendering the mobile veterinary services. It should receive calls from livestock rearers / animal owners and transmit them to the Veterinary doctor at the Call Centre. The decision of directing the MVU would be on the emergent nature of the veterinary case as decided by the Veterinary doctor at the Call Centre. The Call Centre should also confirm actual services through the UID and mobile number of the animal owner and share the data with the State concerned.
Karnataka State has been sanctioned with 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles against 289 lakh number of animal population, which will operate throughout the State by Public Private Partnership. Rs 44.00 crores has been sanctioned to procure 275 new veterinary services fabricated vehicles @ Rs 16.00lakhs per vehicle. Remaining 15 already existing Pashu sanjivini vans will be utilized to match up 290 required vehicles.
The operationalization cost per vehicle is 18.72 lakhs per year which is about Rs 54.75 crore will be borne by the Central and state government in 60:40 ratio. Each vehicle has a Veterinary Doctor, Livestock Inspector and Driver cum attendant and having the facility of medicines, audio visual screen for extension activities, siren and many more as for the need. Government of India will release Rs 32.57 crore for operationalization cost for 290 vehicles and remaining Rs 28.15 crore has to be borne by State Government.
Information about the scheme:
Establishment & Strengthening of Veterinary Hospitals & Dispensaries – Mobile Veterinary Units : The component “ESVHFD-MVU” under Central Sector Scheme “Livestock Health & Disease Control” provides veterinary health services at farmers’ door-steps through Mobile Veterinary Units. The services are to be operated through Call Centers in the State/UTs, the farmers in case of any emergency will make call to these call centers and after prioritizing the emergencies, the services for diagnosis and treatment will be provided by a team of Veterinarian & Para-veterinarian in these Mobile Veterinary Units.